The widely-used peripheral input device of a computer system comprises for example a mouse device, a keyboard device, a trackball device, or the like. With the progress of the times, a touch device is introduced into the market. By directly using the user's fingers or using a touch pen to operate the touch device, the touch device can be correspondingly controlled.
A capacitive touch device is one of the commercially available touch devices. When the user's finger touches the capacitive touch device, the capacitance value of the touch point of the capacitive touch device is subjected to a change. According to the change of the capacitance value, the position of the touch point is recognized. Among various touch devices, the capacitive touch device is widely adopted by most users because the capacitive touch device has enhanced touch accuracy and reduced fabricating cost.
With increasing development of the capacitive touch device, a capacitive touch pen for the capacitive touch device has been introduced into the market. FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a conventional touch pen. As shown in FIG. 1, the conventional touch pen 1 comprises a conductive pen tip 11, a metallic main body 12, a pressure sensor 13, a spiral spring 14, a circuit board 15, an actuating button 16, two triggering switches 17 and a battery 18. The conductive pen tip 11 is located at an end of the metallic main body 12 and partially exposed outside the metallic main body 12. A first end 111 of the conductive pen tip 11 may be contacted with a capacitive touch device (not shown). A second end 112 of the conductive pen tip 11 is contacted with the pressure sensor 13. The spiral spring 14 is sheathed around the second end 112 of the conductive pen tip 11 and contacted with the pressure sensor 13. In case that the pressure sensor 13 is pushed by the second end 112 of the conductive pen tip 11, the pressure sensor 13 generates a touch signal. The circuit board 15 is disposed within the metallic main body 12. The pressure sensor 13 and the two triggering switches 17 are connected with the circuit board 15. The actuating button 16 is disposed on the metallic main body 12 and partially exposed outside the metallic main body 12. The actuating button 16 is contacted with the two triggering switches 17. The battery 18 is electrically connected with the circuit board 15 for providing electric power to the circuit board 15.
When the actuating button 16 is pressed by the user, the two triggering switches 17 are pushed by the actuating button 16. Consequently, the two triggering switches 17 generate an on signal to the circuit board 15 in order to activate the touch pen 1. After the touch pen 1 is activated, the user may grasp the touch pen 1 and allow the first end 111 of the conductive pen tip 11 to be contacted with the capacitive touch device. Consequently, the conductive pen tip 11 is moved relative to the metallic main body 12 in the direction toward the pressure sensor 13, and the spiral spring 14 is compressed to accumulate an elastic force. On the other hand, the pressure sensor 13 is pushed by the second end 112 of the conductive pen tip 11. Consequently, the pressure sensor 13 generates the touch signal and transmits the touch signal to the conductive pen tip 11. Under this circumstance, the capacitance value of the touch point between the capacitive touch device and the conductive pen tip 11 is changed. According to the change of the capacitance value, the capacitive touch device may recognize the position of the touch point and generate a corresponding command.
When the touch pen 1 is moved away from the capacitive touch device, the first end 111 of the conductive pen tip 11 is no longer contacted with the capacitive touch device. Under this circumstance, the compressed spiral spring 14 releases the elastic force so as to push the conductive pen tip 11. Consequently, the conductive pen tip 11 is moved relative to the metallic main body 12 in the direction away from the pressure sensor 13, and the conductive pen tip 11 is returned to the original position.
The pressure sensor 13 can detect the pressing force applied by the user and generate different touch signals according to different intensities of the pressing force. According to different touch signals, the conventional touch pen 1 can generate different effects. For example, if a normal pressing force is applied by the user, a line with a normal thickness may be drawn by the conventional touch pen 1. Whereas, if a stronger pressing force is applied by the user, a thicker line may be drawn by the conventional touch pen 1.
The conventional touch pen 1 is an active touch pen. The area of the conductive pen tip is smaller, and the active touch pen has higher sensitivity. Consequently, the active touch pen is suitably used for performing a more delicate operation such as a handwriting operation or a drawing operation. However, the power consumption of the active touch pen is high. Moreover, a passive touch pen is also introduced into the market. The area of the conductive pen tip of the passive touch pen is larger. The passive touch pen has lower sensitivity, and thus the passive touch pen is suitably used for performing a simple operation. Generally, the power consumption of the passive touch pen is lower.
The user can select the active touch pen or the passive touch pen according to the practical requirements. However, the user has to carry the active touch pen and the passive touch pen simultaneously. When needed, the suitable touch pen is selected. In other words, the conventional touch pen is neither convenient nor user-friendly.
Therefore, there is a need of providing a mode-adjustable touch pen.